rather his hat, doubtful whether he was
down on his list for crape or gloves. The
dean's shovel he seized on, actually before
it was off that dignitary's head.

The host seemed to be always coming
down-stairs in a reckless way. Would then
go off laterally, and after an interval
mysteriously come down-stairs again. There
was a vast breakfast going on in the large
dining-room, and every one, after their
hats had been taken from them, was
motioned in by one of Mr. Dobbyn's men.
The solemn faces immediately cleared, and
I must say such a hearty meal, such
tremendous "cutting and coming again,"
the captain's phrase, such going to the
side table, such hewing there, such crackling
sounds of the division of bones and
joints, I have never heard since. In the
midst of which scene we saw the host
flitting in now and again, and surveying
us all uneasily. The family doctor and the
local clergy and others, taking this for a sign
of grief, would get rid of their mouthful as
hastily as they could, and offer sympathy
with a severe wring of the hand, and a
"My dear friend" which I heard the host
answer in the same mechanical way, with a
"Ah, yes!" Then his eye wandered round
again: "Is Lord Loveland in here?"

At last there was a great slow crunching
on the gravel. We all looked up, and
we all knew by an instinct that this was
the fatal vehicle, which comes to the door
of most of us, and gives us a ride in
state at least once. From the window we
could not see it, but we could note all faces
turned in one direction. At the same
moment my lord must have driven up,
and the sounds of wheels became mingled;
for the host was entering eagerly, with a
sort of ship's figure-head, whom he held by
the hand, to whom he was saying in a low
voice, "Really, my lord, so kind, I shall
never forget it." Every one, I saw, the
country doctors, the clergy, had a sort of
instinct to rise up and bow in homage; at
least, every one moved on their chairs
uneasily, as if that was the first prompting.
His lordship would take nothing. Oh dear
no, he said, except indeed a little chasse
after his long ride. "To be sure, to be
sure," and he was at once removed to the
study, while in a moment the host passed
through, leading the way for glasses and
a case bottle.

Now the captain, and I, and brave Tom
are out in the hall. Every one is looking
for their hats, which are hard to find, so
disguised are they. Dobbyn full of business
to the last hour, assisting the captain to a
dismal cloak without folds, and of a shrunken
curtailed simplicity, which hung close to
the person. I did not stop then to think
over how many despairing hearts and
broken spirits, those rusty winding sheets
for the living had been wrapped, and how
they must have become charged, as it were,
with all the agonies of bereavement. The
captain, who had real heart and feeling—
indeed, when I long after made acquaintance
with Sterne's Captain Shandy, I
found his correct likeness—always honestly
said that he felt to his relations very much
as he did to strangers; and that the friends
he had made were more tender and kind
to him than any blood relations in the
world. So I did not think him unfeeling
as I looked at him, with wonder,
invested in his new uniform, his hat swathed
in a cumbrous crape bandage, when he
looked down at me, and whispered, with
a twinkle in his eye, "Egad! they've made
a guy of me at last, eh?" As for the bold
Tom, he was hurrying about, a perfect
friend of the family, carrying his black
bandage, his face composed to an expression
of sympathy, whispering now with Mr.
Dobbyn, and now consulting with the host.

But now that dismal procession down
the stairs, of which I have seen many
patterns since, was taking place; which, indeed,
then struck me with a sort of chill and awe.
I recal distinctly the sort of scuffling and
struggle as it came round corners, and the
muttered and familiar directions of the
overburdened men. Then every one was
serious and impressed, and the women of
the household, whom Mr. Dobbyn had taken
care to encase in perfect mainsails of linen,
began to weep and sob. Then came the
mourning coaches, and the captain was
seized on, borne off by Dobbyn, and shut in
with three other gentlemen in a sort of jet-
black cell. The brave Tom I really think
secured a place in the second mourning
coach. I know I saw him giving directions,
his crape fluttering and tossing like a weeping
willow, and the last thing I heard him
say to the host was, "We can put Mr.
Auchmuty in our chariot," a proposal
received with a tumult of gratitude. Though
considering I was next heir male to the green
chariot, I might have been a little piqued at
this disposal of the chattel, especially as I
was rather curtly told I must stay behind.
This was of course well meant. But, indeed,
all through this momentous business I was
quite passed over, almost contemptuously.
However, I saw the procession wind off,